Shoe-form.



PATENTED AUG. ll, 1908.

c. P.. TOWLE.

SHOE FORM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16, 1908.

ZWZZeSSeS.'

h. @Wma UNITED STATES. PATENT 011111913,

oHAELES n.l TowLE, or HAVEEHIEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNoE "ro HAVERHILL oHANNELi-NG MACHINE ooMPANY, or HAvERHiLL, MASSACHUSETTS, A coRPoEA- .TION Oh1 MAINE.

SHOE-FORM.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

yApplication'fled January 16, 1908, Serial No. 411,050.

- against which the heel attaching nails are driven, or to place the shoe, from which the Y last has been removed, directly on the ordinary jack of the heeling machine. The first method is objectionable for the reason that the ordinary wooden last isv frequently broken and rendered useless by the strain which is placed thereon during the heel attaching operation, and the second method is objectionable for the reason that the stock is usually moist, or in temper, at the time this operation is performed, so that the shoe is pulled out of shape.

The object of my invention is to provide means for holding a shoe in shape While it is being heeled without employing the ordinary woodenlast', and yet which permits the heel to be attached on the ordinary heeling machine jack, while the shoe is thus held;

For an understanding of my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawinv, in which, y

LI `igure 1 is a plan view of a shoe form made according to my inventionand showing the same inserted in a shoe. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section view of the device. 3 is a side elevation ofthe device shown in position in a shoe, the latter being shown in longitudinal section, and, Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View.

In carrying out my invention I provide a hollow form a, which is adapted to fit the forepart of the shoe, said form being preferably of spring sheet metal, although it may also be made of leatherboard, or similar material. The form is open at the bottom from a point a short distance in the rear of the toe portion and is provided with two side portions a, a? which are adapted to extend rearwardly on each side of the shoe, close to the solo, to points opposite the forward portion of the counter of the shoe. The forni is so constructed that said sections will spring Fig. i

sheet metal, so as to press said side sections firmly against the sides of the shoe and hold'v the same open. When the, form is made of non-elastic material a U-shaped spring b is secured to the inner side of the form and extends to points adjacent the rear ends of said, sections, said spring acting to cause said sections to perform the function j above described,

A spring wire c is pivotally connected to a clip d secured to the inner u per Side of the form adjacent its middle an at its toe end, and saidl sprin Wire is adapted to extend rearwardly, an also transversely, or to one side of the middle line or lane of the form, and then back to said vmiddle line or plane, so that. it follows approximately the outline of the rear ortion of the shoe. The free end portion o said wire c also extends downwardly in position to-enga e the Vmiddle of the inner side of the shoe at t e back thereof, so that it tends to ress the form a forwardly into the shoe, and) at the. same time to press outwardly, or rearwardly, the middle of the back portion of the. shoe. The side portionsaf, a2, acting in conjunction with the s ring c, tend to 'spread the opening inthe s oe and the PatentedAug.11,19os. A

apart when the device is made of spring sp1-lng c, furthermore, acting in conjunction I with the form, acts to yhold the shoe in sha e. If nothing were placed inthe shoe to hold t e same in shape, 1t would tend to double up,`

that is, to bend so that theconvex curvature of the sole longitudinally would be increased. Itis desirable, however, to prevent the bending of the shoe in this manner, and it is preferable that it be bent the other way, if at all, I

whichA function-is performed bythe spring c.

As the spring c extends about the opening I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A device ofthe character described comprising a hollow form adapted to fit the forepart of a shoe and arranged to terminate short of the rear part thereof, and a spring Wire disposed within theform, connected at one end to the middle portion thereof, and

adapted to extend upwardly 'from its .con- In testimony whereof, I have signed my vneeted end and then downwardly to engage name to this specific-ation, inthe presence of l0 at its other -eild the rear end of the shoe, to two subscribing witnesses.

hold the -form in place therein, 'the inter-v CHARLES R TOWLE f 5 mediate portion of said spring wire beinlr eX- tended to one side of the middle line o? the t Witnesses: form, substantially as and for the purpose FRED CARLTON, described. F. D. MENZER. 

